


i don't wanna wake it up, the devil in me

by toniboonch



Series: Blossoms 666 Comic [2]
Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Archie Horror, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Blood, Demon, Demonic Possession, F/F, Horror, Love, Mild Instances of Self Harm (not suicidal), Sequel, Violence, blossoms 666, choni
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:21:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27182374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toniboonch/pseuds/toniboonch
Summary: "enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." - Proverbs 26:24-26___part 2 of the blossoms 666 comic rewrite
Relationships: Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Series: Blossoms 666 Comic [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984195
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41





	i don't wanna wake it up, the devil in me

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Guys!  
> I wanted to write this sequel because I felt like the rewrite needed a proper ending. This is what I came up with! Perfectly in time for Halloween :.)  
> I believe this will be the final piece related to this subject.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:  
> Part 2 is much like the first part as well as the comic. It's violent, has blood, as well as self harm that has nothing to do with suicide. It's a dark fic with dark themes and big questions. It discusses demons, murder, possessions and other satanic things that may be hard for certain viewers. Please proceed with caution!

Riverdale. 

Normal, small, cute.

Cheryl wanted to watch it burn. She wanted to be the one to do it.

She had a new vengeance about her. A new bloodlust.

That’s what happens when your heart breaks.

That’s what happens when the manipulator gets manipulated.

That’s what happens when you _feel._

Cheryl was done feeling. Done caring.

Toni Topaz was nothing to her. She didn’t even miss her. Her lips. The way her mouth pulled into a wide grin. Her sparkling brown eyes.

Those kisses were fake. Those smiles were fake. That look in her eye… all _Julian._

The dead body rotting away in their family cemetery.

Penelope and Clifford were displeased to find out about their first born’s untimely demise, but allowed it. Cheryl and Jason were fighting for the throne. They had to get their hands dirty.

And Cheryl was about to get her hands the dirtiest they had _ever_ been. For she would be the Queen of Hell.

Choices? Free will? A myth.

It was her legacy. It was her _destiny._ It was her **everything**.

_____

“Betty Cooper is still on the table, you know,” Jason smiled, pulling open the Impala door for his sister.

“Still going after her?” Cheryl sighed. “What a bore.”

“Who else if not her? And with all she knows? We should have her succumb to us… Well _one_ of us.”

“And who’s fault was that, JJ?” Cheryl snapped, stepping out of the car. “You are the idiot who told her everything.”

Her twin blinked at her. “Angry this morning are we?”

“I’m always angry. I’m just done hiding it,” Cheryl replied.

“Perhaps you actually cared for the pink haired Serpent?”

Cheryl turned to him, her eyes ablaze. She grabbed him by the collar of his button up shirt, pulling him down to her eye level. “Don’t you think for a _second_ I ever cared about that worthless girl. I was _using_ her the same way I use everyone else. If you don’t stop talking about her, Julian won’t be the _only_ dead Blossom.” She released his collar, smoothing the wrinkles out before kissing his cheek. 

Jason stood there in shock, watching as his twin walked into school. A smile soon spread over his lips. This was going to be more than _fun._ It was actually going to be a _real_ competition now. “No more child’s play,” he whispered, closing the door to his beloved Impala.

Cheryl moved through the school, people knowing better than to step near her. Her anger radiated off of her in drowning waves.

“Good morning, Cheryl,” Veronica hummed, walking next to her. For whatever reason, the Latina lacked fear. “Where’s Antoinette?”

Cheryl clenched her jaw, “Who?”

“Oh,” Veronica mumbled. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?” Cheryl asked. “We were casual. I told you that.”

“I don’t like seeing you upset,” Veronica replied.

“Upset?” Cheryl laughed, putting on a cheesy grin. “I am _anything_ but upset.”

“Okay, C. Whatever you say,” Veronica said, vearing off from their forward path.

Cheryl was screaming. Internally, of course. She hadn’t thought much about the damage of Toni losing weeks of her life would cost. Yet Veronica reminded her like a swift slap to the face.

People thought they had a thing. Toni wouldn’t remember.

The past three weeks of school. Toni wouldn’t remember.

It was a disaster waiting to happen.

Cheryl huffed. _Why should I care? She’s smart, she’ll figure out how to function once again. And if she doesn’t, oh well. Another body to my list._

The redhead bit down on her tongue at the thought, drawing blood. She swirled the metallic liquid around her mouth, relishing in the throbbing pain of her muscle.

She looked down at her injured hand, clenching it in a tight fist. She could feel her scabs splitting open and she smiled.

Toni had bandaged her. Was that real? Was that her skill set? 

Or was that _Julian?_

She clenched her hand harder.

“You’re bleeding!” A voice said. Cheryl stiffened, watching the blood drip down her hand and onto the tiled floor.

Archie looked at her worryingly, gently grabbing her hand in his. His brown eyes were soft, like Toni’s. 

“I’ll take you to the nurse,” he said. “You gotta elevate it.” He held her hand at a 90 degree angle, the fresh blood dripping onto her white long sleeved blouse. 

Toni — no Julian, said the same thing. 

Was this Archie or another trick?

“How do you know that?” Cheryl asked.

“Because I cut my hands a lot working with my Dad,” Archie said, gently leading her towards the nurse. The bell to begin first period rang overhead, but both ignored it.

_Julian’s dead. He’s dead. No more tricks._

They walked into the office, the front desk lady, Miss Bell, stood from her seat in a fright, her glasses falling from her nose. “Oh, goodness! Cheryl, what did you do, honey?”

“We need the nurse,” Archie urged, his own hands dripping with her blood, which had slowed significantly.

“Right! Go! Go!” She said, shooting them away with her hands. “We’ll need the janitor.”

They walked down the hall, Archie knocking on the nurses door with his foot. The young woman opened the door for a peek, a granola bar half sticking out of her mouth. “Oh shit,” she muttered, opening the door as she rolled away on her rolling chair. 

Archie escorted Cheryl inside sitting her down on the seat inside. Nurse Chu wasted no time. She swiftly cut away Cheryl’s old bandages, applying new gauze to slow the bleeding so she could properly treat it.

“Quite the morning, huh, Cheryl?” The nurse chuckled. 

“I suppose,” Cheryl spoke.

Nurse Chu raised an eyebrow. “There’s blood in your mouth.”

“I bit my tongue,” Cheryl replied nonchalantly. 

“Do you need ice?”

“Yes, because ice fixes everything,” Cheryl muttered sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

“Cheryl,” Archie scolded. “She’ll take the ice.”

“Archie, can you please get it for her?” The young woman asked with a kind smile. 

“Of course,” he responded, jumping up from his seated position. 

“Wash your hands!” She called out after him. “You broke open your scabs. How’d that happen?”

“Why do you care?” Cheryl hissed.

Nurse Chu narrowed her eyes, “Because I’m your nurse?”

“Yes… because of your _job,_ which you should be doing.”

“Fine, let’s not talk,” she huffed, dabbing at her injuries with the bright red gauze. The bleeding had slowed to a stop. “Gently wash your hands for me.”

“I’m back!” Archie huffed, ice cubes melting in his hands.

“Archie,” the nurse sighed. “That’s unsanitary! You couldn’t put them in a bag or a napkin?”

“You didn’t give me a bag!” The boy sputtered. “And I just washed my hands!”

“Give it to me,” Cheryl growled, parting her lips. Archie gently lifted an ice cube and dropped into the redhead’s awaiting mouth. 

The coldness stung, but it soothed her swollen tongue.

Cheryl didn’t talk as she washed her hand, a bit of blood running into the drain.

“Thanks for your help, Archie,” the nurse said. “You can return back to class.”

“Alright,” the boy said. As Cheryl turned, he wrapped her in a hug. “All praise _Abbadon.”_

Cheryl smirked, the last of the ice melting in her mouth. “All praise Abbadon.” she whispered back. Archie nodded at her, smiling one final time at the nurse before exiting the room.

_Archie._

_Of course._

She hadn’t been utilizing her closest asset. Betty _loved_ Archie, despite her broken heart over him picking Veronica. 

Archie was already a part of her cult. She wouldn’t have to do much to manipulate him into harming Betty. 

Cheryl and her twin had underestimated Archie’s use to them. Now she was going to exploit it.

Once she was freshly bandaged, she was free to go, refusing to go home early. She walked past the janitor, who mopped up her blood, with a small wave. He nodded at her, turning his attention to the blood smearing across the floor.

She entered her first period, apologizing for her lateness with the slip from Nurse Chu. Betty Cooper eyed her angrily as she usually did, but Cheryl ignored it, taking Dilton’s old seat with a smile.

_____

Cheryl walked through the hallway, about to meet up with her twin for lunch. She could see him down the hall talking with Moose Mason. 

“Cheryl!”

_No._

She knew that raspy yet honey like voice. 

_No!_

She turned, Toni’s tear filled eyes burning holes into her soul. If she had one.

“Oh, Toni. Hello,” she responded. Her heart lurched, the pinkette was upset.

“We need to talk,” she demanded. It might have been threatening if her voice didn’t crack.

“About what?” Cheryl asked.

“About what _you_ did to me,” Toni replied.

_Fuck._

The pinkette lunged out, reaching for her injured hand. She stopped, blinking at the bandages before grabbing her wrist. Even when Toni was mad, she was still so _gentle._

Cheryl looked back at her twin, before being drug down the hall. Jason raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t dare follow due to the slight shake of her head. 

Toni pushed her into an empty classroom, closing the door behind them. 

“Toni, I don’t know what you-“

“Shut up!” The girl cried, a tear spilling down her face. “What happened? It’s September, Cheryl.”

“I am well aware of what month it is,” Cheryl snapped back.

“Your party was in August… What did you do? Nothing makes sense. I got asked about a project I never did. I was here, but I _wasn’t!_ Sweets and Fangs think I’m having a mental breakdown! What did you do to me? Did you drug me… I swear to God I’ll—“

“You’ll what?” Cheryl growled. Toni’s eyes dropped to the floor. Despite being in a gang, she would do _nothing._ “Yes, my party was in August. I don’t know what happened to you, Toni, but it wasn’t my doing! You showed up to my property disorientated, as if you were high! I figured you needed to sleep it off and you did. It’s not unlike a Serpent to be some kind of… of _druggie.”_

“No,” Toni yelled! “I’m not… I would _never!”_ She grabbed at her hair. “I wouldn’t!”

Cheryl _hated_ this. Being cruel to her. She was trying to push her away when all she wanted to do was comfort her.

_It was a lie. It wasn’t her. Leave._

She didn’t move as her eyes fell to the floor, avoiding the mutterings of the pinkette before her.

That wasn’t Toni. Lie or not. That wasn’t her.

That was someone so confused, so in pain, that they didn’t even know who they were. The situation was near maddening.

Her broken tone. Her vacant eyes. Her slumped body language.

Toni was breaking right in front of her.

Cheryl wrapped the sob lingering in her chest tightly, refusing to let it escape. 

“I don’t know what happened. Maybe someone hurt you… But I promise you it was _not_ me. I would never hurt you,” Cheryl replied softly, dropping her defensive tone. Tears pricked in her own eyes.

_You did hurt her._

_You hurt her just now. You’ll keep hurting her._

Toni nodded somberly. “I’m sorry… that I accused you.” Her eyes still didn’t look convinced. They darted over Cheryl’s face for any kind of indiscretion. 

The redhead was an excellent liar. Toni would find none.

“It’s fine,” Cheryl nodded.

“Do we… know each other? Why did I come to you? I’m so confused. Please, help me.”

Cheryl sighed, “I can’t give you the answers you’re looking for.”

Toni blinked, stumbling back on her feet. She grabbed her head. Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. “O-okay. I gotta g-go.” She ripped open the door, running off into the near empty hallway. 

Cheryl slumped to her knees, her skin pressing into the cool tile as tears streamed down her face. 

“She l-looked so s-scared,” she cried, wrapping her arms around herself.

If what she had done to Toni didn’t win her the throne, she wasn’t sure what would.

This was disgusting. Vile. _Evil,_ in its purest form.

What a hellish day.

Cheryl skipped the rest of her classes, ignoring Jason’s phone calls. She walked home, not caring about scuffing her red bottoms or the heat outside. 

She had much to think about.

_____

Cheryl looked down at her dinner plate, moving the green beans around with her fork. She wasn’t hungry.

Jason watched her from across the table, flipping his steak knife in his hand.

“Both of you stop playing with your food and eat,” Clifford said, not looking up from his plate.

“Yes, Daddy,” Cheryl mumbled out, pulling one green bean into her mouth. She chewed, the flavor sending waves of nausea through her.

“How was school today?” Penelope asked. “What’s the challenge this week? We heard about Dilton, Reggie, and Ethel. Great work.”

Cheryl’s nausea furthered.

“Julian too,” Clifford mumbled.

“Yes, unfortunate,” Penelope replied, her voice soft.

“We both apologized, Mom. Julian was way out of bounds, not following the rules,” Jason shrugged, cutting into his steak.

“Of course,” Penelope replied. “We don’t dare question your motives.”

“We know,” Jason responded. “And as for school, my day was good. I am unsure of Cheryl’s as she disappeared halfway through.”

Three sets of eyes turned to the youngest Blossom. She clenched her fork, blending it slightly with her thumb. “Yes, I was following something.”

“Did it pan out?” Jason asked.

“If you must know, JJ, it didn't,” Cheryl replied solemnly.

“That’s music to my ears,” he quipped.

“Of course it is,” Cheryl huffed. She stood from her seat, “Thank you for the meal, but I am not hungry. I will be taking a shower and going to bed. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” the three Blossoms said in unison.

_____

The hot water poured down on her. It boiled her, turning her pale skin a bright red. She didn’t mind the heat. She welcomed the pain, hoping it would mask her emotional turmoil.

She wasn’t done feeling. She wasn’t done caring. 

Not about Toni Topaz at least.

Julian had used her lust against her. She had ruined that girl’s life just because she moved to use her. Just because she was intrigued by her pink hair and her gorgeous face.

Cheryl punched out at the wall, her cut fist connecting with the white tile. Her cuts once again spilt. Watery thin blood dripped down the wall.

The redhead kept her first curled against the wall, pushing against it. She grunted slightly before ultimately letting it fall at her side. She turned, the hot water now scalding her back.

_What are you going to do?_

_I don’t know. What can I do? I can’t do anything. People get hurt, that is the game._

_Toni didn’t deserve that._

_She didn’t._

Cheryl sighed at her inner dialogue, finally rubbing her shampoo through her red locks.

One good deed wouldn’t doom her to fail… Would it?

_____

Cheryl had to decide how to do this. She had to be discrete. 

She could tell Toni the whole truth, expose the Blossom secret and quite possibly ruin everything. With most of the prominents, and most of their children, in the town within their cult, that didn’t seem likely. 

Toni was in a gang. The gang wasn’t aware of the Order. What if they revolted, took them down? Killed them before Cheryl and Jason’s 18th birthday?

What if she befriended Toni once again? Slowly convinced her the lie was real? Point the fingers at another student and have her take her revenge like Dilton did to Reggie.

Cheryl didn’t want the pinkette hung by her own hand in her jail cell.

What if she told her that she was the cause of her pain? Further annihilate their relationship. With a whole school year left, or realistically half of one as her 18th birthday loomed in the near distance, being outed, falsely of course, as a person who would drug another didn't seem like a smart choice for the redhead. She needed her popularity. 

She couldn’t ask Jason. Her twin would no doubt use it against her. She wouldn’t dare let Toni be a pawn again. _Never._

_Honesty._ Toni liked honesty, or at least Julian said she did. Was that real? It was Toni’s own talk of the trait that led Cheryl and Jason to be honest with Betty. It had unraveled Julian’s whole plan.

Toni seemed to shine through from time to time. Julian wanted the pinkette to take Cheryl’s virginity. And _yes_ , she was still a virgin. Just because she was in line to take the Infernal Throne didn’t mean she would commit to any sinful act on a whim. She didn’t like men anyhow and only they seemed to want to have sex with her. It was revolting.

Toni taking Cheryl’s virginity would link them with some sort of possession hex, making her fall under the same control Julian had Toni under. Toni stopped them in the Impala after their date… Julian had said she had done so.

She was _there._

What if Cheryl could make Toni remember? Make her see that Julian had manipulated her? Make her remember the short time they spent together instead of blankly rambling it off to her in hopes she would believe.

It would perhaps out the Blossoms as the Devil worshippers they were, but Toni would remember the time she was under Julian’s control.

Toni would remember the three weeks.

Toni would remember Cheryl.

Maybe it wouldn’t work and maybe it was a beyond bad idea, but she had to try.

She didn’t want Toni to suffer any longer and maybe, just maybe, the redhead even wanted her back. 

Would Toni want her back?

The redhead hoped she didn’t. It would make leaving her to claim her spot in Hell that much harder. Toni wasn’t going to Hell. Cheryl wouldn’t allow it and therefore would never see her again.

Cheryl stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her wet hair dripped cold water down her bare back. She eyed the red marks that were just now beginning to fade, before she made eye contact with herself.

Brown eyes stared back. Not black. 

No horns sprouted from her head. No talons.

The demon was away.

And if the demon was away, well _Cheryl_ would play.

Right now, The Throne didn’t matter. Toni did _._

_____

“What are you doing?” Jason asked as Cheryl entered the kitchen the next morning.

“I want some coffee that has hopefully _not_ been tampered with,” Cheryl replied.

“No, with Toni. I saw her grab you yesterday. What did she want?” Jason grumbled.

“She’s confused, JJ. She has no recollection of the last three weeks. I was the last person she saw, of course she’s going to question me,” Cheryl said.

“You should put that poor girl out of her misery.”

Cheryl stiffened at his words. “What a waste of a soul.” She grabbed a coffee cup from the cabinet, her back to her twin.

“Who cares?” he replied. “Unless _you_ do.”

Cheryl turned slowly. “What did I tell you about saying that to me?”

“You’re soft for her I can tell. It was all fake! Julian said so. Your little puppy love was _fake!_ Move on, Sis! Move on before I make you,” Jason said, his voice harsh.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Cheryl said through clenched teeth.

“Cheryl,” Jason sighed. “Eye on the prize!”

“What do you care! Isn’t it better for you if I don’t?”

Jason sipped his own coffee with cold eyes. “Yes, but I didn’t battle you my whole life to see you give up over some-some girl!”

“She’s not some girl,” Cheryl growled. 

“So you do care! Just admit it!”

“Fine!” Cheryl yelled. “I do! I care! I know it was fake, but she was in there! I saw _her._ I feel _guilty_ for hurting her in this way. I want to fix it… I just want to fix it.”

“You can’t do this,” Jason said. “You don’t fix things. _We_ don’t fix things. We destroy them. That fire that you had in you just three days ago? Where is that? Where is your vengeance? Where is your anger? She took it all away from you. You’ll never win like this.”

“Good,” Cheryl muttered, stomping out of the kitchen.

Jason let out a frustrated growl, throwing his coffee cup against the cabinet. It exploded across the kitchen in shards of red porcelain and splashes of dark liquid.

_____

The ride to school was beyond silent. Cheryl at the steering wheel. Typically Jason drove them everywhere, but one death stare from his sister and snatch of the keys and he was powerless.

Cheryl drove too fast. She always sort of did, but Jason didn’t comment like he usually did. 

She took a left bend, the tires screeching. Jason winced and sunk further into his seat, finally unable to hold his tongue.

“If we die I’m going to be so mad,” he huffed.

“Shut up,” Cheryl said.

“Sis, you know I say disagreeable things because I love you, right?”

Cheryl’s eyes widened. He hadn’t said that in a while. “Yes, I’m aware.”

“I just… I know we’re locked in this competition, but it’s not a competition if only one side is competing. We took out Julian so one of us could have a better chance.”

“I took out Julian for her.”

“Cheryl-”

“I did,” the redhead admitted, barely stopping at a stop sign, parents on their way to drop their kids off at school honked at her. “He hurt her. He manipulated me. I was angry. I didn’t care about his demands. I wanted him to let her go.”

“God,” Jason groaned, rubbing his face with his right hand. “I mean, Satan. Fuck, who cares at this point? Sis, this isn’t right… you can’t be with Toni because whether you lose or not, you’re going to Hell and not just when you die. I want you to come to Hell with me if I win. I need someone to clean out the Hellhound Kennel.” Cheryl side eyed him. “Okay, I want you as my right hand. That’s always been my plan. Who cares about Maple when there’s a whole Empire to run down stairs?”

The offer was nice of Jason. 

“You mean to tell me you stabbed Julian because Hell was only supposed to be ruled by one Blossom, only to turn around and offer me a job? You hypocrite!” 

“Okay, maybe I didn’t like Julian. We didn’t grow up together. He was messing with you and maybe I didn’t like that either. I’m protective, you know.”

“You’re soft.”

“So are you,” he breathed. “How are we supposed to be the next Anti-Christ? Pitiful. We’re so mortal it disgusts me… sometimes.”

“Are you going to allow me to help Toni?” Cheryl asked, turning into the Riverdale High parking lot.

“Yes, yes. It’s fine,” Jason sighed. “I didn’t mean what I said in the kitchen. I shouldn’t have snapped. I just… didn’t want you to give up.”

“I’m not giving up. I’m merely correcting a wrong,” Cheryl replied, pulling into their parking spot. “The Dark One allowed Adam and Eve to see when God kept them in the dark. I just want to re-enlighten Toni.”

“Quoting the UnHoly Book… Look who paid attention in Sunday school,” Jason teased.

“I always pay attention,” Cheryl replied, opening up their car door to get out. She spotted motorcycles across the lot. “Time for a re-education.”

_____

The sight of the pinkette sent Cheryl’s heart into a flutter.

She was a liar. She always knew that. She lied to everyone, but the biggest lie was thinking that she didn’t care for Toni Topaz.

Toni’s eyes widened as they made eye contact across the hallways. Her shoulders scrunched up around her ears and she slammed her locker shut, practically running away from the redhead.

Her heart broke.

Toni was scared of her and Cheryl really didn’t blame her.

They needed to talk. She needed to try and smooth things ever, throw out some past clues. Invite her to Pop’s, maybe even swimming.

Anything to trigger _something._

Cheryl walked after the pinkette, keeping her pace light despite the speed of the shorter girl. There wasn’t much time until their next set of classes started.

Toni ducked into the bathroom, not bothering to look over her shoulder.

Cheryl let out a sigh, feeling horribly about cornering the poor girl.

She opened the door to find Toni washing her hands in the sink, staring up at her reflection. An underclassman stood a few sinks over, she applied her lip gloss before turning. 

She saw Cheryl and her own eyes widened, quickly rushing out in fear of being yelled at. 

“Toni?”

The girl didn’t turn, mesmerized by her own appearance.

“Toni?”

She blinked slowly with a shake of her head. She turned off the water and turned. She looked taken back despite Cheryl calling her name. The redhead frowned deeply, Toni really wasn’t okay. 

“Hi,” Cheryl said softly.

“Hey,” Toni replied, her hands dripped water onto the floor. Cheryl reached for a couple of paper towels before walking up to her. Toni flinched at her being so close so she took a couple of steps back with a heavy heart.

“Are you alright?” The redhead asked, handing over the towels.

Toni took them, wiping her hands. “Yeah… well no. I just… no.”

“I’m so sorry,” Cheryl said softly. She reached for the damp towels, pulling them from Toni’s grasps, her fingers grazed over tanned skin as she did so. The pinkette watched the interaction with parted lips. Cheryl turned, shooting the towels perfectly into the trash can before looking back at the timid girl in front of her. “I would like to help you. May I help?”

“Nice shot,” Toni said, a faltering smile growing and then disappearing soon after. “And… I don’t know. I don’t know you… I don’t know anything anymore. Something’s wrong.”

“I know it is. You asked for my help yesterday and I wasn’t willing, but I am now.”

“Do you know what happened to me?”

Cheryl wanted to say yes. She wanted to lay it all out for her. She wanted to give Toni all of the answers, but even she didn’t know the full story.

“No, but I want to help find out what did,” Cheryl said with a lick of her red lips.

“Why?”

“Because I think we could be friends.”

“Friends?” Toni pondered.

“Yes, everyone needs a friend. I know you have some-”

“They don’t believe me,” Toni whimpered. “They think it’s a prank… They think I’m crazy.”

“I _believe_ you.”

“Why?” Toni asked.

“You showed up to my house… and you weren’t you. I want to help you figure out what happened. You came to me for a reason,” Cheryl replied.

Toni ran a hand through her hair. “I mean, that makes sense, right? You helping me?”

“I think it does,” Cheryl said. “It’s up to you though.”

_Please say yes. Please._

“Okay.”

“Really?”

Toni nodded. “Nothing makes sense anymore. I could use all the help I could get.” She paused for a moment, clearing her throat. “Seeing us together might freak people out,” she chuckled a bit. It was barely a laugh.

“Trust me, Toni. I think it’s more normal than you realize,” Cheryl responded sweetly, putting a hand on her shoulder gently.

Toni blinked at her words, but didn’t comment. Cheryl slowly removed her hand from the pinkette and clasped them in front of her, jutting her hip out to one side.

“Where do we start?” Toni asked.

“How about Pop’s. Friday night at seven?”

“Yeah,” Toni nodded. “Sounds cool. Should I pick you up?”

“So I can get on that bike?” Cheryl repeated, hoping to jog the pinkette’s memory. “No, thank you. I’ll meet you there.”

Toni’s lips pulled to one side, and she rubbed her right temple with two fingers. She looked deep in thought before turning back to the redhead. “Yeah… sounds good. I’ll see you around,” Toni replied, quickly moving past the redhead to leave.

Cheryl sighed at Toni’s actions, finally decompressing. The pinkette seemed so unsure of herself, nothing like the Toni that stood up for Dilton all those weeks ago.

That was the real Toni.

Kind, Confident, Powerful.

She was still there. Cheryl just had to remind her.

_____

It was foggy in the woods. More than usual. Cheryl squinted, feeling herself around trees and shrubs as she walked aimlessly.

She couldn’t remember why she was in the woods or where she was even going. 

She passed through to a clearing. She moved through the wet grass, her heels sinking into the Earth. 

She had never gone this far before.

Crows squawked above, three of them circling her. She watched them do their mesmerizing soaring for a moment.

_“Cheryl.”_

The redhead whipped, turning in a full 180.

Nothing.

_“Cheryl.”_

She turned again. The gravelly voice sent deep chills up her spine. 

Again, nothing.

“Hello?” She called out cautiously, her eyes scanning over the plain she was in.

_“Cheryl.”_

“Who’s there?”

_“Cheryl.”_

A hand wrapped itself around her ankle. It was cold. Grimy. She looked down, a blood curdling scream leaving her lips. 

Julian looked up at her with a wicked grin. His skin was grey, covered in dirt, and bugs. Maggots fell from him. His eyes were discolored, half of his face missing to reveal the pristine skeleton underneath. His red hair shined unnaturally. He was half in the ground, using Cheryl’s leg as leverage.

He began pulling her. Dragging her heel deeper into the dirt.

“No!” She screamed, trying to pull away from him. His grip didn’t let up and she felt the wet dirt surround her heel and foot.

Then her calf.

Then her thigh. The other leg following. 

She gripped onto the wet grass, pulling up fistfuls of it as she screamed and clawed at the Earth.

She just kept _sinking._

“No! No! Please,” Cheryl cried, tears pouring down her face. “HELP!”

_“You’re mine, Cheryl Blossom.”_

The dirt covered her torso, her shoulders. She clawed at the last little pieces of grass she could see before her vision was covered.

She couldn’t breathe.

Cheryl let out a scream, sitting up in her bed. Her body was soaked in sweat, her red sheets thrown around. One of her pillows was even missing due to her apparent thrashing.

_A nightmare._

She had never had a nightmare so vivid.

She sucked air into her lungs with a deep breath, clutching her sweat soaked chest as her heart hammered just beneath her finger tips. She brushed her hair out of her face, glancing around her room with crazed eyes.

“What the hell?” she breathed, curling her legs up into her torso. She glanced at her clock on her nightstand, the hands being shown due to the light of the moon shining through the window above her bed.

Three.

_Witching Hour._

Cheryl took another deep breath with a little laugh. “It was just a foolish dream.” She laid back down, pulling her messy blankets over her again. “Just a dream. Nothing to worry about.”

She didn’t close her eyes.

_____

Cheryl sat at their kitchen island, the sun just starting to rise. Her hair was down in frizzy waves. Her face bare of makeup. She drank coffee, poking at her oatmeal.

She didn’t sleep the rest of the night. She had decided to get up early to watch the sunrise, but she wasn’t paying attention.

Her mug came to her lips again.

“Good morning.”

Cheryl jumped, spilling coffee down the front of her red, button up, pajama top.

Jason chuckled. “Sis?”

“Oh, you scared me,” Cheryl blinked, turning to him.

“I _scared_ you?” Jason asked. “Cheryl, you laugh at _Saw_ and I _scared_ you?”

“You caught me off guard, that’s all,” Cheryl 

responded.

“You look tired.”

“Wow, thank you,” Cheryl said sarcastically with an eye roll.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re up so early or do I have to keep collecting context clues?” He asked with a teasing grin.

“Fine, okay!” The youngest Blossom huffed. “If you must know… I had a nightmare.”

Jason laughed. “Really?”

“Really,” Cheryl replied. “Julian… he was there.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. “What happened?”

“He was dead and decaying and he was pulling me into the ground. Some voice just kept saying my name and that I was his,” Cheryl muttered, pulling at her bottom lip.

“Okay, I’m not going to lie, that does sound scary,” Jason nodded.

“You’re not going to make a joke?” Cheryl laughed. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

“I’m sympathetic,” Jason said.

“Hardly.”

“I am,” Jason replied. “I’m a good brother.”

Cheryl smiled softly. “You are.”

_____

Toni didn’t make eye contact. She played with her own hands, her hair vibrant under the fluorescent lighting.

Cheryl cocked her head to the side, observing her. She had deep bags under her eyes, like she hadn’t been sleeping. Cheryl hadn’t really either, but that was beside the point.

Toni looked uneasy, like she still didn’t trust Cheryl. She licked her lips, looking out the window, blinking roughly.

Cheryl smiled, “Are you alright?”

Toni tapped her forehead, “Fuzzy. Sort of deja vu. Being here n’ all.”

Cheryl nodded, her smile growing wider. “That’s good. Maybe you’re remembering.”

Toni shrugged. “I guess.” Her gaze returned to her hands. 

They were silent. The redhead looked down at her menu, flipping through the pages.

“Black,” Toni mumbled.

“What?” Cheryl asked.

Toni nodded at Cheryl. “You look good in black.” She tapped her nails. “I remember you in black.”

“You do?”

Toni slammed her hands against the table.

The waitress came over, “Is everything okay here?”

“Yes,” Cheryl said, feeling Toni’s eyes on her. She was _angry._ “Can we get two strawberry milkshakes?”

“Of course,” she replied, looking at Toni one last time before leaving.

“You said you didn’t know,” Toni said through clenched teeth. “I remember you. It’s hazy, like, like, I’m in the back seat and it’s raining and, and the windows are foggy.” She rubbed her eyes. “But I remember… you… being here. Why did you lie? You said you were going to help me.”

“Toni,” Cheryl said calmly. “I didn’t want to scare you.”

“Scare me?” Toni said, her voice loud. “I’m terrified!”

“Keep your voice down, we’re here to talk. Listen to me!”

“Then tell me the fucking truth,” Toni seethed. “I can’t take much more of this.”

Cheryl swallowed roughly at her words. “Okay… Okay… I-”

“Here’s your milkshakes,” the waitress said, dropping them off.

“Thank you,” Cheryl smiled sweetly, taking a small sip. Toni watched her drink and leaned forward, sticking her own straw in her mouth. “We… knew each other during the three weeks.”

“And you lied?”

“Let me finish,” Cheryl scolded. Toni huffed and sat back in her seat. “I didn’t want to just talk at you. I wanted you to remember for yourself. I don’t have all the pieces for you. We weren’t together 24/7, as much as I wish we were.”

“As much as you…” Toni blinked. “Wait.”

Cheryl shook her head with a small smile. _“You_ need to remember. I can’t do that for you. I’m bringing you to places where _we_ had memories. The rest is up to you.”

Toni rubbed her eyes. “I’m so confused. How did this happen in the first place.”

Cheryl pursed her lips. “I don’t know.”

“You knew I lost my memories and you know _more_ than you’re letting on,” Toni said.

“You need to-”

“Yeah, yeah, I need to remember,” Toni sighed. Cheryl nodded with a grin. “So we knew each other.”

“Yes,” Cheryl responded.

“And everyone knows we knew each other?”

“Also yes.”

“Are you going to tell me _how_ we know each other?” Toni asked, leaning forward.

Cheryl’s smile faltered. “You have to remember that.”

“But if everyone knows… then I could just ask… _everyone.”_

Cheryl tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing a yellowish mark on her neck. The pinkette eyed it curiously. “You could…”

“So just tell me instead.”

“Why?”

“Jesus, Cheryl,” Toni sighed, placing her head in her hands. Cheryl winced at the J-word. “You said you would help and then you dodge my questions? That’s not cool. Just communicate. I’ll play your little remembering game, but I just want to know about _us.”_

“I’m sorry, Toni. I’m just protective.”

“Of you?”

“No,” Cheryl replied softly. “Of _you._ Everything is about you and I’m trying to be delicate here. I could just tell you, but that won’t help you. If you can’t remember… nothing will ever make sense again. You might not even believe me.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Toni replied. “I believed you enough to come here. I believed that you didn’t hurt me despite waking up in your lap with no memories. I agree with taking it slow. I get enough migraines as it is.” She rubbed her temples for added emphasis. “Now just tell me.”

“We were _together.”_

Toni stiffened, sitting up in her seat. A small smile grew on her face. “Like _together,_ together.”

“Casually,” Cheryl said with a pointed finger. 

Toni laughed, running a hand through her hair. “I did that to your neck!”

“Shush!” Cheryl reprimanded.

Toni winced, her head falling flat on the table as she pulled at her hair. She groaned lowly. 

“Toni?” Cheryl asked.

“You’ve said that to me… before,” she grumbled, slowly lifting her head. Her eyes were a bit bloodshot. She wasn’t kidding about the migraines. 

“Okay, that is enough for tonight,” Cheryl huffed.

Toni lunged across the table, gripping her hand with a weak smile. “No, please.”

“Toni, you’re in pain.”

“Just tell me… one thing.”

“ _One_ thing.”

“How many times did… I make you... cum?”

Cheryl reeled back, her cheeks blushing. “Unbelievable.” Toni still smiled at her. “We didn’t have sex!”

The pinkette’s face fell. “What?”

“We did _not_ have sex.”

“You told me it was casual!”

“Is sex _casual,_ now?”

Toni rubbed at her forehead. “Uh, yeah! What century are you from?”

Cheryl let out a small yell, her hands covering up her face.

“Cheryl?” Toni asked. The redhead peeked at her through her fingers. “Thank you… for helping me. I’m still _kinda_ mad that you lied… but I can see why I liked you and I appreciate your help.”

_Perhaps you didn’t like me at all. Perhaps it was all Julian. Perhaps you will never like me._

“Of course,” Cheryl nodded politely.

_____

_“Cheryl.”_

“No,” she whimpered, her eyes fluttering open and closed.

Her body _hurt._ Her head was pounding like someone had repeatedly stepped on her skull, trying to break into her brain. 

Her limbs were stuck to her satin sheets as if she was paralyzed. 

_“Cheryl.”_

Her eyes glanced around her bedroom. No one was there.

_“Cheryl.”_

“Please… leave me alone,” she croaked.

Her bed _shifted._ She could feel the weight change around her ankles. Her eyes darted down and she gasped.

It was _Julian._ Just as she saw him in her previous dream. Rotting. Decaying. Half of his face missing. The bone gleamed in the moonlight. He smiled at her, thick black blood dripping from the slice across his neck. 

He stuck his hands in his jacket pocket, bouncing a little bit on the bed.

_“Cheryl.”_

Julian’s mouth didn’t move. He wasn’t the one calling her name. He didn’t take his discolored blue eyes off of her, his right hand slowly pulling from his jacket.

Cheryl screamed.

He had a knife. The same knife he asked her to kill Toni with. The same knife she stabbed into his stomach. It was still caked with his blood, now black with time.

The redhead watched her brother slowly begin to walk up her body and she cried out, trying to wiggle against the invisible hold someone had on her. She just couldn’t move.

_It’s a dream! He can’t hurt you! This isn’t real!_

“You’re not real!” Cheryl screamed. He didn’t respond, his smile only growing wider.

_“Cheryl.”_

He stopped over her chest and she looked up at him with watery eyes. “You’re not real. Go away.”

_“Let me in.”_

He plunged the knife down into her chest. She let out an agonizing scream, feeling her hot blood rush over her. She coughed, her lungs filling with blood.

If it wasn’t real, then why did it _hurt?_

She was dying.

Julian twisted the knife, cutting down her chest and stomach. More blood flowed out of her as she cried and screamed. Her whole bed was soaked with the thick, sticky, metallic liquid.

The pain didn’t stop. Why wasn’t it over?

Suddenly Julian grabbed her shoulders, shaking her.

“Cheryl? Cheryl? Wake up!” He yelled. His face was no longer gray. His hair was shorter. Blue eyes looked at her with concern.

“No!” She screamed, pushing him back. He flung across her room, crashing into the wall behind them.

She just screamed, she didn’t stop screaming, grabbing at her chest. It was dry, but she was still panicking. Blood flowed freely from her nose and she dropped back into her bed, her body shaking in a seizure.

_____

It was so damn _bright._ She groaned, rolling over, pulling her sheets up around her face more. A chair creaked next to her and she jumped awake.

Jason sat next to her bed, his eyes cautious as he looked at her. His hair was messy, his clothing not so perfect.

“JJ?” She asked.

“Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Last night…”

Her eyes widened and she patted down her chest. Once satisfied there was no giant cut splitting her chest in two, or blood covering her or her bed, she glanced around her room. Decaying Julian wasn’t standing anywhere with a terrifying grin. There was a giant, cracked indent in the wall in front of her and she raised an eyebrow at it. “My wall?”

“You were having a nightmare,” Jason said, rubbing his eyes. “Screaming your head off. I thought someone was killing you.” He sighed. “I ran in here and woke you up and you _threw_ me into your wall before your nose started bleeding and you had a _seizure.”_

“Oh.”

_I threw him? How is that possible?_

“Yeah, oh.”

“Are you hurt?” Cheryl asked.

“No,” he responded. “Are you?”

“No,” Cheryl swallowed. 

“Good,” he replied. He got up from his seat, looking down at her before swiftly leaving the room, dragging the chair with him.

_What the hell is happening to me?_

_____

Jason didn’t tell their parents about what happened. Their bedroom was on the other side of the house so they were unaware of Cheryl’s shrieking and medical emergency. He also avoided her, clearly upset, almost angry, by what he witnessed.

Cheryl didn’t know what it meant. She didn’t know what was happening and she really didn’t have time to look into it.

Jason didn’t tell their parents for a _reason_ so it wasn’t like she could ask any other cult members their theories on her dreams and bodily reactions to them.

Cheryl figured it was her dick head brother haunting her from the grave. Hopefully, he would move onto Jason soon. She was beginning to get tired of being tired.

Toni was too much of a priority. The pinkette was starting to remember and she had to keep working at it.

She knew they had a relationship, however short it was, and she also knew that Cheryl knew more. Toni would be pissed at her for lying once she pieced everything together, but having her do it this was for her own good.

Perhaps if Toni could remember how Julian got to her so quickly, Cheryl would be able to break the haunting of her dreams.

_____

Cheryl opened her locker, settling her books neatly inside. She reached to grab her next notebook.

“You were gone yesterday.”

Cheryl jumped at the voice, turning with wide eyes. “Toni, you scared me!”

“Sorry,” the pinkette muttered, kicking her shoe across the linoleum of the floor sheepishly. It squeaked obnoxiously. “You were gone yesterday.”

“Yes, I was… not feeling well.”

“You’re better now?” Toni asked.

“Yes,” Cheryl replied.

“Good because I have more questions.”

Cheryl sighed softly with a small smile. “Lead the way.”

They walked with each other to the music room, knowing it would be empty during the short amount of time to get to the next class. “So I went through Instagram.”

“You did?” Cheryl asked, pursing her lips.

“Yeah, I was trying to see if I posted anything. I didn’t, but I went to check to see if _you_ posted anything and I didn’t remember following you.”

“You did that shortly after my pool party,” Cheryl said.

Toni scratched her cheek, “Which I only remember half of. We talked. You tried to get me in your pool… I said no and talked with the boys, sipping beers, and then… nothing! Nothing for three weeks!” Cheryl frowned. “But I saw DMs between us. I came over twice… Do you think I could come over again?”

“Well it would certainly jog your memory to be in the place where you blacked out initially.”

“Right,” Toni said. “Also… Are you okay? I was asking you if you were okay and you said you were seeing your family doctor.”

Cheryl smiled softly, “Yes, TT, I’m fine.”

Toni stumbled backwards, her hand coming to grab her head. She dropped to the ground with a whine, curling into a little ball. The redhead rushed forward, dropping to her knees. 

“Toni? Toni?” 

“I r-remember you c-calling me that,” Toni rasped out, tears spilling from her eyes.

Cheryl wiped them away gently, “I’m so sorry it hurts. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s worth it,” she breathed. “I need to know.”

“I know,” the redhead frowned, tucking a lock of pink hair behind Toni’s ear. Her thumb brushed away more falling tears as the pinkette tried to sniff them away. “Are you alright to finish your day?”

Toni nodded, her eyes soft as she looked at her. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Cheryl replied quietly.

The pinkette stood up shakily, Cheryl offering a hand. Their hands clasped, sending warmth rushing through the redhead. They just fit so perfectly. The redhead shook herself of the thought, helping to pull Toni to her feet.

The shorter girl stumbled forward slightly, a bit dizzy as she grabbed her forehead. Cheryl shifted, catching her and setting her up right, a helping hand on her shoulder just in case. Toni took a few deep breaths before she nodded to herself, pulling back from Cheryl.

“Thanks,” Toni mumbled.

“Of course,” Cheryl replied. 

“I, uh, appreciate you and you… helping me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re the only one who believes me. You’re the only one I _trust.”_ There was such a sincerity to her eyes.

Cheryl’s bottom lip trembled when the bell rang above them, saving her from the interaction. “I’ll see you later, Toni.”

“Bye,” Toni replied, watching the redhead leave.

_____

Cheryl avoided Toni the rest of the day, opting to hide in the auditorium. Students weren’t allowed in there, but no one dared to tell her no.

Toni trusted her.

She huffed loudly. Why was everything so _hard?_

The predator she was designed to be was just too damn enticing. Toni couldn’t help but fall into her again, mind control or not. It was her allure. Her essence.

Cheryl hated it.

She hated her entire being.

The redhead didn’t know why she ever praised herself. She was nothing to praise. Nothing to trust. Nothing to love.

She was nothing but a primal, killing machine, who worked towards her goal at full speed, ripping through anything and everything to get what she desired.

But did she desire it? The Throne?

Cheryl thought she did. Until Toni.

Then she thought she did again. Until Toni.

The redhead sighed, flopping into a red seat, her hand perched on her forehead as she thought. Things used to be so damn easy.

Manipulate, Kill, Earn Demonic Brownie Points.

Now she was second guessing everything. All because of Toni. Was the pinkette true and right? Or was it Julian’s ghost plaguing her with distracting thoughts once again?

Sometimes Cheryl wondered what it would be like to be _normal._ Real. Soulful. Human.

She would go to school, have friends, a loving family; she would go out on the weekends, get drunk, fall in love, have her heartbroken. She would graduate, pursue her passions. She would fall in love again, and again, until she met the one. She would get married, have kids. Grow old. _DIE._ Get into Heaven...

Everything that Toni talked about those few weeks ago at Pop’s still resonated with her. It still mattered and she thought of it often.

But Cheryl wasn’t normal. She wasn’t designed to be. Life would never be joyous for her. She would never win without killing to do so. How could she have those things with an empty shell? Soulless flesh?

It… hurt.

It hurt being designed for one purpose only to… _reject_ it. Cheryl couldn’t even do her own life right and she had it all mapped out.

She was never supposed to be this human. The redhead almost wished she was a mindless, subservient demon, who’s only pleasure was possessing and causing chaos. 

It would be much more fun than whatever this was.

Cheryl felt tears sting her eyes and she swiftly blinked them away. She had to be strong; she wasn’t allowed to break down when Toni’s life was at stake. It was so hard though.

Every waking moment was deep, emotional and moral turmoil and every unconscious one was nightmare fueled. 

All of this would end up with Toni hating her forever. All this pain, this yearning, this suffering, this questioning, would end with nothing for Cheryl.

She wasn’t doing this for herself… She wasn’t. But Toni hating her was something she couldn’t quite accept. Cheryl didn’t want that. She didn’t want to be a monster in the eyes of the sole person who _mattered._

But Cheryl would have to be who she always was. A shadow. A murderer. A _demon._

If it meant Toni was free from her mental imprisonment then it was worth it. Even if Cheryl was done being those things.

_____

The vast Thornhill gardens looked different. A slight distortion.

It was from panic, but Cheryl didn’t quite understand why she was panicking. She had never really done it before.

She raced through the rose bushes, now a maze, like something out of _Alice In Wonderland._ Cheryl was searching for something, her heart racing. 

_Right. Left. Left. Right. Left. Right. Right. Right. Dead End._

Cheryl panted, she could feel sweat sticking to her face. It was so humid. The air was thick and almost suffocating. It was dim from the overcast sky above.

A small child stood in the dead end, her back facing the redhead. She appeared to be about seven or eight, Cheryl wasn’t sure. Long red hair fell down her back in a french braid and a white dress clung to her small frame.

“Hello?” She croaked out.

“I’m scared,” the child whimpered, still not turning to face her.

Cheryl felt her heart soften as the erratic rhythm of the organ began to slow. The redhead took another step forward. “It’s okay to be scared, honey.”

“No, it isn’t. That’s not what he said.”

“Who?” Cheryl asked, her voice as delicate as a flower.

The child turned to her with a sniff, her brown eyes glassy from unshed tears. Her pouty pink lips trembled. “The scary man. He has yellow eyes… I don’t like him.”

“Did he follow you into this maze?” Cheryl asked, talking another step closer. 

The child watched her cautiously, her hands pulling at the sleeves of her cardigan, hiding them under the fabric. She nodded, “He says I’m not ready, but you are.”

“Ready? For what?” The older redhead asked, sitting down in front of the small girl.

“Bad things,” she sniffed. Her nose turned pink with emotion and she rubbed her eyes forcefully as a sob left her mouth. “He’s coming.”

“There’s no one here, but us,” Cheryl reasoned. touching her shoulder softly.

The girl pulled away with anger, her hands dropping from her eyes. Cheryl gasped, watching blood spill from her orbs. “You did this! I didn’t want to!”

“No, no! I just- your eyes!” Cheryl panicked, surging forward to help her.

The child screamed at her touch, blood beginning to flow from her ears as she cried a red river.

“What’s happening?” Cheryl choked.

“You’re hurting me!” 

“No, I’m not! I’m trying to help!”

“You can’t help!” She wailed, blood pooling from her mouth. “You’re bad!”

“I’m not,” Cheryl cried, her own hot tears sliding down her face.

“He’s coming! He wants you!”

“Julian? Is this Julian?”

Cheryl suddenly doubled over in pain, shrieking as she gripped the grass, ripping it up by the handful. She choked and coughed, red staining the green below her.

“You brought him here,” the tiny voice said. The older redhead whipped her head to her right only to find the child gone.

“It hurts!” Cheryl cried, writhing in agony. She coughed and sputtered some more, blood leaking from her mouth and she breathed heavily, begging for it all to stop.

Something slid up her throat, something cold. She gagged, opening her mouth as the head of a bright green snake left her. Her eyes widened as more tears ran down her face, the bloody snake revealing more and more of itself to the damp air. 

Cheryl collapsed to the ground, holding herself in a tight ball and she rocked back and forth, her throat scorched and her insides lurching. 

The snake's tongue flicked, tasting the air, before it turned, looking at Cheryl dead in her face. The gaze was hauntingly beautiful, flecks of yellow in black eyes. 

Its mouth opened, revealing bright white fangs, dripping with a black liquid. 

Cheryl tried to scream, but it lunged before she had the chance.

_“Cheryl, you’re mine.”_

  
  


The redhead bolted upright in bed sobbing hysterically. She grabbed her face, checking for any sign of the snake attack. She touched her throat, it was raw from her yells but nothing more. 

Another nightmare.

Cheryl hated that one the most. It was so crushing, especially after the inner dialogue she had with herself earlier that day.

She breathed deeply, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Julian just wouldn't leave her alone. Mocking her with her younger self, trapping her in a maze, making her throw up some vicious snake. It was grating on her nerves and if she didn’t know any better, she would be on a ouija board to cuss him out.

Maybe if she burned his body? Weighed him down and threw him in Sweetwater River?

All she knew was that she was so beyond over it.

Exhaustion gripped her so tightly, but she didn’t dare close her eyes. There was no way in _hell_ that she was going through that again.

_____

_Man with the yellow eyes._

“Cheryl Blossom.”

_Man with the yellow eyes._

“Miss Blossom!”

_He’s coming._

_He wants you._

Cheryl’s head shot up from her desk, her eyes scrambling around the room. “Y-Yes?”

“It is very hard to get away with sleeping in class when you’re in the front row,” Ms. Grundy huffed, shooting her a stern look.

“I apologize,” the redhead breathed.

She wasn’t really sleeping, she couldn’t risk it. It was more like resting her eyes, meditating, whatever.

“Pay attention. This is going to be on the final,” her teacher replied with a pointed finger.

Like Cheryl needed to actually pay attention. The rest of the class stiffened, leaning in closer as they rapidly took notes of the cursive across the white board.

The redhead turned slightly, catching Betty looking her up and down, confusion on her sweet face. Brown met bluish green and a scowl formed before the blonde turned away, returning to her note taking.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, turning to catch her own twin looking at her as well. He had been distant since she had accidentally thrown him, which still didn’t make sense. He looked at her and turned, his eyebrows narrowing as he roughly gripped his pen, his knuckles white.

Jason had been silent. No snarky comebacks, no singing to the radio. He barely even looked at her and had started taking dinner in his room. There were no more talks of corruption, or competition, or working together in Hell. He drove her to school and home and they quickly parted ways from there.

Cheryl realized she hadn’t really talked to him in about a week. Her heart ached at the idea. They were just starting to get close again…

What changed?

Something she didn’t understand. The _dreams._ They meant something, more than just a haunting. Maybe Jason knew? Maybe that’s why he was avoiding her?

She had to ask.

The bell rang and Cheryl scrambled to pack up her things, her brother rushing past her. She reached to snag his shirt, but he brushed her off. She huffed, standing from her seat as she pulled on her tiny red backpack, her binder safety secured in her hand.

“Cheryl?”

The redhead stiffened, slowly turning to see Betty. “Hello, Betty.”

“Uh, walk with me?”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

Cheryl produced a biting smile, “Lead the way.” The redhead couldn’t care less about what Betty had to say to her. She didn’t give a shit about Betty Cooper. That was old news, snoozeville. Things were far more elaborate than her now. Corrupting her was child’s play.

She didn’t care about Betty, or Jughead, or Veronica, or Archie, or The Pussycats.

They were flicks in her life. Being forced to interact when she had bigger issues to worry about was _so_ annoying.

But that was high school. Cheryl almost chuckled at the thought, it was like she had forgotten she was a seventeen year old senior. She had never been normal and acting like she was… was tiresome.

“You look awful,” Betty murmured.

“Is that truly what you wanted to tell me?” Cheryl scoffed.

She nodded. “I just… you don’t look good.”

“Thank you for that unnecessary and rude observation. Veronica was right about you being an awful friend,” Cheryl snapped. She bit her tongue, wishing she hadn’t said that. She didn’t have to manipulate anymore.

Betty’s eyes widened as her gaze dropped to her shoes. “She said that?”

Cheryl sighed. “No. She’s just hurting. She misses you, you’re never around.”

“Because of you.”

“I think you mean my brother… and besides… we took care of him,” Cheryl huffed. “He’s gone. Left town.”

Betty nodded, “Jughead said-”

“I really do not have the energy for this,” Cheryl replied. “I have more important things to worry about.”

“Like your next victim?”

“What do you think this is? _Jennifer’s Body?”_

Betty looked puzzled, “What’s that?”

“God, you’re boring, dear Betty. And vastly uncultured, but I doubt it to be your kind of film anyways,” Cheryl replied, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she pursed her lips.

“Just… leave Toni alone,” Betty sighed. “She’s kind. Jughead says that she’s been struggling since coming into contact with you. Just leave her alone. Dilton didn’t deserve that and she doesn’t either.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Cheryl swallowed. “Toni is my _friend._ Dilton went psycho…”

The blonde looked unconvinced. “I’m _learning,_ Cheryl. I know what you are.” She walked away, glancing at the redhead over her shoulder as she moved through the empty hallway.

Betty looked… smug.

“Bitch,” Cheryl huffed, stopping at her locker. She swiftly did her combination and popped open the door. She neatly slid her binder into it. Cheryl checked herself in the mirror, she did look _awful._ Deep bags only semi covered by thick concealer, her cheeks looked sunken in, her lips dry, hair looked a little dirty. 

“You aren’t cheating on me right? I saw you and Ponytail.”

Cheryl laughed quietly, “No, Toni.”

“Oh, good. You know I get jealous,” the pinkette replied, leaning up against the lockers. As she looked at Cheryl, her cocky smile faltered. “Are you… okay? You look sick.”

“You are the second person who has told me that today so it must be true,” Cheryl laughed. “I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not sure,” Cheryl replied.

“You must have some outside stressors or something.”

“Perhaps.”

Toni looked _good._ Her eyes bright, skin glowing, hair styled. The exact opposite of the redhead. Cheryl took in her appearance and smiled with a sigh of content. She looked like Toni. 

“You look very well, TT.”

“I feel great actually,” Toni replied. “I've been sleeping better.”

“I’m so glad,” Cheryl smiled.

“I had a dream.”

The redhead stiffened, “A dream?”

“About you,” Toni smiled, placing her hands in her Serpent skin sheepishly.

“What about me?” Cheryl pressed. Was Julian manipulating her in her dreams? Using Cheryl as a ploy once again?

“We kissed…” She bit her bottom lip. “Did that happen?”

“Well, I said we were together,” Cheryl shrugged, her cheeks a bit pink.

“But not sexually,” Toni corrected. “Despite your neck.” She smiled, poking the redhead’s shoulder.

“Kissing is not inherently sexual,” Cheryl responded. “And as for the hickey… well-”

“It was... leading to that.”

The redhead nodded slightly, watching as the pinkette broke out into a wide grin. Cheryl rolled her eyes, deciding to use the shorter girl’s smugness against her. “Toni Topaz, did you have a _wet_ dream about me?” She chuckled, raising an eyebrow. 

The pinkette rolled her eyes and scoffed. “That sounds so _wrong_ coming from your lips.”

“You didn’t quite answer.”

Toni laughed nervously. “Maybe I did.”

It was so _easy_ to talk to her. It was so fun and lively. It was hard not to flirt, not to give in to her smile and body. Her eyes were so inviting.

“Interesting,” Cheryl nodded.

“Sorry, that was weird,” Toni sighed.

“Not at all, TT. I’m used to it,” Cheryl snarkily replied.

“Oh really?” The pinkette hummed with a raised eyebrow. “I told you I’m jealous.”

This banter was nice. It was _Toni._

“What for? I’m not yours,” Cheryl reminded.

“Yeah,” Toni sighed. “I know.”

They were silent for a moment, just looking at each other.

“Hey,” Toni started. “Can I come over this weekend? Ya know for-” She tapped her forehead. “The thing.”

“Of course,” Cheryl replied.

“Great,” Toni smiled. “Wanna eat lunch together?”

The redhead wanted to say no. She wanted to limit their contact for the day knowing that they would spend time together that weekend. It was important that they didn’t get too attached, even though it seemed to already be happening.

“Yes, I would love that, TT.”

They smiled at each other. Worries about the nightmares, Jason, and Betty were no more, but new worries came through. Worries about Toni _remembering._

That was the whole goal, but… They wouldn’t have _this_ anymore. The banter, the smiles, the looks. Nothing. 

Cheryl would have to mentally prepare for Toni to hate her.

_____

The redhead sighed, her exhausted appearance staring back at her through the cracks in her vanity mirror. She was fearful of getting it replaced, she already had seven years of bad luck, why add her demonic reflection back into the mix of pure shit that was her life?

She hadn’t slept the night before, or the night before that. Her whole body ached and she felt sicker than sick. She had to sleep, but she just _couldn’t._ She was terrified, if she was being honest. Cheryl didn’t want to witness or feel anything horrible anymore.

She knew it was a dumb wish with Toni a mere few minutes away. Today was the day she could lose her. 

Toni could remember everything here. She could realize that Cheryl was more deeply involved. She could start hating everything about her.

She shook her head, her hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was doing this for Toni and Toni alone. It didn’t matter what became of their relationship afterwards, no matter how broken up Cheryl would be. It just didn’t matter.

They could move on, respectfully. Cheryl could finish her job and get into Hell, dragging her recently allusive brother behind her. Toni could grow up. She could live.

Cheryl had talked this out with herself a million times, but it didn’t make the reality of their situation any easier for the redhead.

The shrill gong of the doorbell sent Cheryl down her stairs. She took a deep breath, opening the door to her guest. Toni smiled at her, it was genuine. _Honest._ “Nice place.”

“Thank you,” Cheryl replied, letting her inside the gothic halls.

“Darker than I remember,” Toni chuckled. The pinkette looked Cheryl up and down, concern lighting up her gaze. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Cheryl nodded.

“You still haven’t been sleeping?” Toni frowned.

“Not really,” Cheryl replied, shrugging off her concern. “I’m not wearing makeup which doesn’t help my case.”

“I didn’t notice,” the pinkette hummed. “You look cute.” She winced a bit, rubbing into her forehead. “I guess I’ve said that before.”

“You have,” Cheryl nodded. “Are you alright?”

“Well it’s true,” Toni replied, her eyes a bit watery from the realization. “And yeah, I’m good.”

“Oh,” the redhead said, her cheeks blushing a bit without her meaning to. “I… Thank you.”

“Sure,” Toni responded. “So where are you taking me first?”

“My bedroom.”

A dark eyebrow arched with curiosity. “Your bedroom, huh? Exciting.” She smirked coyly, biting her bottom lip.

Cheryl rolled her eyes, blurring her world a bit. She took a deep breath in, “Come along, TT.”

“Right behind you, Cheryl.”

The girls walked up the stairs silently, Toni supremely close to the redhead. Their hands brushed a few times and Cheryl shivered, in a good way, at the feeling. Toni was always so _warm._ That wasn’t something that Julian could fake or create out of nowhere.

The warmth of a soul.

Cheryl cleared her throat a bit, pulling back from her as they reached the top of the steps. They turned down the hall, the redhead leading Toni through an open door.

Her jaw dropped, much like it did the first time. “Whoa! This is insane.”

“You like it?” Cheryl mumbled.

“Love it! I like all the red, it suits you. Powerful,” Toni replied, stepping further into the space. “It’s like a vampire decorated in here!” She laughed at her own joke. “Total Deja Vu.”

“Mmm,” Cheryl hummed. “That’s good.”

“Oh my God! Look at that fucking bear! Can I hug it?” Toni asked, turning to Cheryl excitedly.

“Of course,” the redhead nodded, gesturing to the bear that sat in the corner. 

The pinkette rushed forward, flopping down into his massive stomach. She breathed in deeply, her eyes scrunching as she did. She was silent for a bit and Cheryl watched her, her eyes soft at the sight. “He smells like you. I remember that.”

Cheryl nodded solemnly, turning to sit on her bed. Her head was throbbing so she rubbed her forehead. Her sleepless nights were truly catching up to her. She felt like she had gotten hit with a freight train.

A hand gently grabbed her shoulder and the redhead jumped at it, turning around to find Toni looking at her worriedly, her knees sinking into the soft mattress. “Are you sure you’re okay? You really don’t look good. I can come back some other time?”

“I’m fine,” Cheryl rasped out. “Don’t worry.”

Toni sat criss cross with a huff, her eyes going from the redhead to the shattered mirror. Her eyes looked irritated and watery which seemed to be one of the signs that she was remembering. Some things were more painful than others. “You punched your mirror… the-the blood. I helped and we… we napped. You looked so beautiful. I remember watching you for a while… feeling how you melted into me. I was there, I was present. Other things are way less clear… like I wasn’t in control, but that… that memory hit me as soon as I pulled up to your mansion.”

She sounded emotional, her voice wavered in certain places, her rasp had all but decimated. Cheryl sniffed a bit, a few tears trailing down her face. 

“Cher, why are you crying?”

“I just… I’m sorry,” Cheryl choked out.

“You shouldn’t be,” Toni replied. “It’s nice to remember _us._ I've missed you.” 

“I've missed you too.” It was the truth. “But… It- We…”

Cheryl shook her head. They were silent for a bit, just looking at each other. Toni’s mouth opened and closed with unspoken words and Cheryl waited patiently for her rebuttal.

“Why do you always push me away? Did I do something?”

“No… It wasn’t you,” Cheryl replied, her eyes burning. She was so _tired._ “It was never you. You did nothing wrong.”

“Then why?” Toni asked softly.

Cheryl turned from her, facing her cherry bomb painting once again. “I don’t know.” The redhead cleared her throat, her stomach churning. The pressure in her head grew, pushing at her eyes and she winced, burying her face into her hands.

“Cheryl?”

“I just… I need to lie down.”

“Okay,” Toni replied softly. The redhead slowly shifted herself up her bed, flopping down into her pillows with a groan. Her eyes fluttered open and closed as warm arms pulled her into a warm chest. “I’m right here.”

“You should g-go,” Cheryl said.

_It’s not safe. I might not be safe._

“Do you want that?”

“No,” she replied immediately.

Toni chuckled at her statement, “Then sleep. You need it.”

Maybe the pinkette could keep Julian away.

Cheryl did sleep. She did need it. 

  
  


The underground worshipping chamber was freezing, her bare feet burning on the cold stone. Her hands gripped the material on her long, satin, white dress and she couldn’t remember even owning anything similar. 

Fire crackled from torches lining the room, Abbadon looked down on her and she swallowed roughly. 

He wasn’t typically in this room. Just in the woods. His three tongues were no more and instead _one_ hung from his skeletal mouth.

Cheryl stepped forward, wrapping her arms around herself for some sort of warmth. The carved pentagram on the floor almost welcomed her with a strong humming.

“Mumsy? Daddy?” She called out, searching the area for anyone. She was normally never in the chapel and only came for a purpose. She couldn’t remember if she had one.

A purpose. A real true one.

“JJ?”

Nothing.

“Julian?” 

Nothing.

“T-Toni?” Cheryl mewled.

A deep voice boomed with laughter, causing her to jump. She immediately looked at the giant statue of Abbadon. He didn’t shift, his stony expression never moving its gaze from her.

_“Cheryl Blossom.”_

That voice. That fucking voice. It was always there. _Always_ present.

“Who are you?” She snapped. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

_“Succumb to me, Cheryl. Let me in that pretty little head of yours. Allow me to have you and this torture will end.”_

She spun around, her eyes scanning every corner of the stone carved room. “Who are you?” She repeated.

_“I am your dreams. Your nightmares. I am you. We shall be one. Just let me in.”_

“N-No.”

_“Fear… I smell it. You’re weak. Let me make you strong. Let me give you what you desire most. The Throne. I want you, Cheryl Blossom. I chose you. Let me in. Let me in.”_

“Satan?”

Another laugh. _“I want you, Cheryl.”_

Her skin bristled with goosebumps. “I’m not eighteen, yet. I’m not… ready.”

_“You are more than ready.”_

Cheryl gasped as blood entered into the crevices of the pentagram, filling them with its thick liquid. “Who’s blood is this? Tell me!”

_“It’s ours. Every time you bleed, I bleed. Every time you cry, I cry. Every time you sin, I sin. You are my blood. You are mine.”_

The blood began to rise in the air, droplets floating around her. “I don’t want this.”

_“It is your destiny. Your legacy. Your_ **_birthright!_ ** _LET ME IN!”_ ****

“No!” Cheryl screamed. The blood swirled around her and she watched with wide eyes as the droplets turned to needles. “What are you doing?” She cried out.

_“I will have you… You will be mine.”_

The blood flew forward, stabbing into her delicate skin with burning precision. It leached into her, her whole body of fire as if it was burning her from the inside out. She dropped to the floor, screeching in pain as more and more of the blood entered into her veins, corrupting her, taking her over.

  
  


Cheryl dropped onto her bedroom floor, thrashing as she did. Her body was fucking on _fire._ She screamed, clawing at her skin, trying to relieve herself off the poisonous blood that invaded her veins. It flowed out of her wounds, but the inferno didn’t stop.

“Cheryl!” Toni yelled, throwing her body over the flopping, snarling redhead. “You’re okay!”

“He’s in me! HE’S IN ME!” Cheryl screamed, tears streaking down her face.

“Look at me,” Toni begged. “Please!”

“I c-can’t,” Cheryl sobbed, trying to push her off. The pinkette grabbed her bloody hands, pinning them on either side of her. She straddled Cheryl’s hips, breathing heavily. “Get o-off!” The redhead wailing, trying to fight against her. “He’s burning me!”

“Look at me!” Toni pleaded. Cheryl’s eyes haphazardly met hers. The redhead looked crazy; her eyes were wide with terror and sweat dripped down her skin. “No one is here! You were having a nightmare!”

“It hurts!” Cheryl hissed. Fiery needles rippled over her skin.

Toni suddenly leaned forward, pressing her lips to Cheryl’s. The redhead’s thrashing faltered and her pain stilled. Her body lightened and she closed her eyes, kissing Toni back. The pinkette breathed her in, loosening her grip on the redhead’s wrists.

She guided the redhead into a sitting position, their lips meeting over and over. 

_We can’t._

Cheryl suddenly pushed her back, knocking Toni off balance. Cheryl scrambled out from underneath her, crying and sputtering, as she pulled herself up onto her shaky legs, blood pouring from her arms and chest where she had clawed herself.

“Cheryl,” Toni said, standing up to block her from leaving her room, her hands up in a calming manner. “Breathe.”

“I-I c-can’t.”

“You can, Cher. Just inhale.”

The redhead watched Toni’s chest rise and fall and she copied the actions. A few sobs left her, but she began to feel calmer. Her vision was less blurry, her skin less painful, her chest no longer tight. She was okay, or as okay as she could be.

The dreams didn’t seem to be just dreams nor nightmares. They were so much _more._ Terrifyingly so. It wasn’t Julian.

It was so much worse.

The redhead slowly sunk to the floor, pulling her knees into her chest while she took labored breaths. Toni was at her side within an instant, eyeing the blood that thickened on her pale skin. They didn’t speak and Toni didn’t touch her. Just having her near made Cheryl feel better.

It’s like weird things were destined to happen whenever Toni came over. Another reason they truly couldn’t work.

Cheryl groaned to herself. They had _kissed._ It had calmed her, but… it wasn’t supposed to happen. Not ever again.

“Cheryl,” Toni spoke softly. “What the hell was that?”

“You need to leave,” Cheryl replied.

“I’m scared for you. I just… You hurt yourself. You always hurt yourself. I don’t know if I can help, but let me try,” Toni pleaded.

“You don’t know what’s happening.”

“Help me try to understand.”

This was it. Cheryl had to come clean. Satan was trying to have her early. Get inside of her… Which was never proven to be part of the deal. It wasn’t supposed to be a possession, merely a change of power. 

Cheryl’s eyes widened. Her and Jason had been _lied_ to their entire lives. Satan wanted them as a _vessel,_ not a new ruler. He wanted to further his power and he had picked Cheryl.

The redhead couldn’t even rub it in her twin’s face because the circumstances were so unbelievably wrong.

“Cheryl, please. I care about you… a lot. Let me in.”

_Let me in._

Let Toni in or let Satan in? Did she have that choice? It seemed like she didn’t. 

Letting Toni in meant turning her away.

And Cheryl could only fight off the Dark One’s advances for so long. Her 18th birthday was a couple of months away and even if she had somehow lasted that long… He would be able to take her then. 

She never had a choice. _Free will._

Her life was never hers. She had hurt people for no reason. For some job that didn’t exist. She could have been _good._

Tears spilled down her face. “I’m so sorry,” she blubbered. 

“For what?”

“For everything. It’s all my fault,” the redhead sniffed.

“I don’t get it.”

“I’m a demon, Toni. My family runs a satanic cult. Satan chose my mother to bear his children. Julian, my estranged triplet, tried to use you against me, all because I was the one who wanted to use you _first._ He controlled you. That’s why you couldn’t remember. I fell for you and wanted to help, but I’m a monster. If it wasn’t for me… You would be _fine._ I caused all of your pain and sorrow and I have _known_ that this _whole_ time. I wanted to manipulate you to rule Hell and I’m _so_ sorry.”

Toni blinked at her, “Okay, I don’t mean to be rude… but that’s kinda insane.”

“It’s the _truth,”_ Cheryl snapped. “Julian did this to you. He came to you during my party… He did something to you.”

“I don’t understand,” Toni frowned. “That can’t be true. That… shit isn’t real.”

“It is, Toni. It is,” Cheryl pleaded.

“No,” Toni huffed, pulling back from her. “I… No! Cheryl, do you even hear yourself right now? That’s absolutely crazy.”

“I’m not crazy.”

“But…”

“I don’t know how he took you. I don’t know. Julian said that he got to you at my party all of those weeks ago. He said that he used your lust for me against you. I don’t know any more than that. You were a trap for me… He wanted me and he was using you to do it.”

_Satan must have told Julian to collect me. That would make it easier for him to possess me if I was already partially under his control._

It was all piecing together.

Toni grabbed her head, flopping to the floor. “Shut up! Stop! I can’t do this!”

“I’m so sorry,” Cheryl blubbered. “You have to remember.”

The pinkette pulled at her hair, whines and groans leaving her lips as she writhed on the floor. Cheryl watched helplessly, pulling her arms tighter around her own body. Tears spilled down tanned cheeks, her noises of discontentment only growing louder with each passing second. She let out a final scream, her eyes rolling back in her head as her body shook with little movements.

“TT?” Cheryl cried, crawling forward to her. “Toni? Toni?” She pulled the girl into her lap, desperately palming her face, trying to get her to wake up. “No. Please!”

Toni groaned in her arms, blinking open her eyes. “I hate y-your brother, Cher.”

“Toni, oh my God,” Cheryl cried, hugging her tightly. The G-word burned just a little less. “You remember?”

“Everything,” Toni breathed exhaustively. “It was like a movie montage. Kinda cool, hurt like a bitch.”

Cheryl chuckled lightly, wiping the pinkette’s tears away. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m here now… _All_ of me is here now,” Toni smiled.

“You don’t hate me?” Cheryl asked.

“How could I hate you?”

“I lied… I could’ve helped you sooner if I wasn’t a selfish coward. I feared what would happen if you remembered so soon,” Cheryl replied.

“Well jokes on you, babe. Like you said, could’ve had me much sooner,” Toni said, her hands burying into red hair. “Julian may have had control over me, but he could never change how I feel about you. Neither could you.”

“I’ve killed, I’ve murdered, I’ve-”

“No one’s perfect,” Toni shrugged, looking at her longingly. “You’re good. I know. I’ve always known. What I said in the diner a while back? All me and all true. You’re more than your birthright.”

“You were there?” Cheryl sniffed.

“Most times,” Toni nodded. “I witnessed first hand how good you are, even if I was back seat driving on occasion.”

“You know what I am,” Cheryl breathed.

“And I don’t care,” the pinkette replied. “I know _who_ you are. That’s, like, simple math, Cher. Absolute value…Negatives don’t exist.”

“You did _not_ just equate me being a demon to a mathematical exercise,” Cheryl snorted.

Toni watched her, her eyes big and sparkling. A sparkle that had been gone for a while. She smiled softly, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Toni pulled her head down, their lips meeting in a melting kiss. 

“I have so many questions,” Cheryl sighed when they pulled away. Toni sat up, shifting herself out of Cheryl’s lap. She rubbed her eyes, and Cheryl’s heart melted at the adorable sight. She really had her back...but not for long. The redhead wanted to cry, Satan was coming for her…

“Like what?” Toni asked.

“How did Julian even get to you?”

Toni grumbled, her jaw clenching. “Bitch said that you were waiting for me in the rose garden. I went and he was there and he started saying some weird shit in another language. I tried to run, but I couldn’t move. Then he cut his finger and marked me on my forehead.” She drew an upside down cross on her forehead with her finger. “And then I blacked out. When I came to, I felt weird. Like a never ending chill. I didn’t really know what was going on. Sweets and Fangs took me home and then the next day I could hear him talking to me. It was like my body wasn’t mine. I could have my own thoughts and want to do certain things, but my actions weren’t always my own. He influenced me, whispering into my ear, jumbling my emotions. I would break through from time to time and stop him-”

“Like when we were in my Impala,” Cheryl nodded, listening intently.

“Yeah, like that,” Toni replied. “He hurt me every time I did. Mentally. He would trip me out for… for hours. I saw horrible things, he made my head pound, my nose bleed, my body ache. It was fucking awful.” Toni looked shaken up as she spoke about it. “He just wanted me to get to you. He said we _had_ to have sex… He never said why he wanted you though. Seems fucking gross to me… Like, you’re his _sister.”_

Cheryl wrinkled her nose, “It wasn’t like that.”

“You sure? Because that shit extra makes me wanna punch him in his throat,” Toni huffed, clenching her fist.

“He’s gone now,” Cheryl shrugged. “Jason and I killed him after we found out what he had done to you.”

“My knights in shining armor,” Toni breathed with a laugh. “Did… Did he suffer?”

Cheryl raised an eyebrow, “No. Not for long.”

“That’s good,” Toni nodded. “He sucked, but I hate that cruel and unusual punishment shit.”

Even after everything… Toni was still so _good._

“Agreed,” Cheryl replied.

“What now?” The pinkette breathed.

They stared at each other for a moment, exhaustion plaguing both of them. Truth swirled in Cheryl’s chest.. She wanted to tell Toni about her nightmares and what they were leading up to. It didn’t seem like the right time, but would any time be necessarily right?

“I’m not sure.”

“I guess we could start by cleaning you up,” Toni said, gesturing to the redhead sitting in front of her.

Cheryl looked down at her bloody skin and wounds with a wince, completely forgetting about their existence until that moment. “I suppose we could.”

“I remember where your bathroom is now,” Toni smiled, standing up slowly. She put her hand down, Cheryl quickly accepting it. “Come on.”

“I'm right here, TT,” Cheryl chuckled.

_But for how long?_

_____

Cheryl knew she had to tell Toni. She planned on doing so as well. She just wanted to ensure the pinkette had some options to consider.

Cheryl also wanted options to consider. She didn’t want to give in. She didn’t want to become possessed. She didn’t want to essentially die. Not yet, at least. 

He was breaking her down, day by day. Plaguing her with nightmares, weakening her so he could infiltrate her body and use her to continue his power. Cheryl didn’t know why he needed a vessel in the first place, but she knew she was running out of time. She could hardly function on her lack of sleep and would succumb soon.

“Jason?” Cheryl croaked, knocking on his door. He was eating dinner in his room again, something Cheryl couldn’t even do. Their cook had even made spaghetti, one of her favorites. “Jason, please. I need your help,” she pleaded.

The door swiftly opened, making her stumble forward.

Jason looked her up and down, his eyes sad. “Cheryl.”

“Do you know what’s happening to me?” She asked.

“I have an idea. You’re normally not able to throw me into walls and the shrieking nightmares are not ideal,” he replied, his voice stern.

“You have to help me,” Cheryl blubbered. “I don’t want this.”

Jason’s face darkened with utter disgust. “You can’t be serious, Cheryl. This is what we were bred to do. You have to let him claim you, early or not. He chose you to rule Hell. You must obey.”

“No, JJ, listen. He’s been lying to us. Everyone has. He-”

“You don’t stop do you?” Jason huffed. “Sis, I _love_ you, but you can’t talk your way out of this. Satan chose _you._ He chose you over me, he wants _you._ We’ve been working towards this our entire lives and you want to deny him? Deny your destiny? Your only purpose? Don’t do this. This is huge for you, for us. I was going to take you when I won… Seeing as that isn’t happening it’s only right that you take me with you. Don’t be selfish, Cheryl. For once, don’t be selfish.”

“It isn’t right, Jason. He’s using us-”

“To carry out his will. Rule his realm. That’s an _honor_ , not the sacrifice you’re making it out to be,” Jason snapped. “Is this about Toni?”

“N-No,” Cheryl pleaded. “Just listen to me, JJ.”

He searched her eyes, “It is. It is about the Serpent.”

“Jason-”

“No, I’m done with you. I allowed you to help her when I should’ve killed her. She’s skewed your vision. You can’t have those things she talks about. That’s not real, Cheryl. It will never be real for us. We’re demons, monsters, killers. We can’t have the mortal experience. Wake up and realize you will _never_ be like them and they will _never_ accept you. They have never accepted you, _never.”_

Cheryl took a step back, her eyebrows narrowing, “Whatever, I didn’t come here for a lecture. I came here for help. My brother’s help.”

“This can’t be helped and if it miraculously can, I refuse to offer my own. This is your destiny, Cheryl.” He looked at her sternly, swiftly shutting his bedroom door in her face.

“Jason!” Cheryl called, pounding on the door. “Please! Please, help me! Help your sister!”

Jason was silent. Not even a creak could be heard coming from his room.

Cheryl continued to slam into his door, a frustrated yell coming from her mouth as hot tears pricked in her eyes. “He’s going to possess me, JJ. I won’t be here anymore! That’s what he’s wanted all along. We were never supposed to rule, just be a mere vessel. They all lied to us! I’m going to _die.”_

She was met with nothing but silence and a sob rippled through her chest as her hands came to a halt against his door. The flesh stung, but she didn’t care.

“I love you,” she sniffed. “I’ll always love you. Please remember that when I’m not here anymore. I understand, JJ, I do. I love you so much, you’re a good brother.”

She left his door, not surprised by the silence she was met with.

Cheryl had no options. She wasn’t strong enough to fend off Satan, she didn’t have her brother's help, she definitely didn’t have the cult or her parent’s help.

All she had was Toni.

The girl she would have to leave so soon after getting her back. 

It wasn’t like a human could do much against the King of Hell anyways. 

Cheryl was undoubtedly screwed. She had to make her goodbyes quick. 

_____

Toni sighed in contemptment, her head securely placed in Cheryl’s lap as she stared at the sky. It was a mild and clear September day. The weather had begun to cool down and the leaves began to change, prepping for October. Cheryl propped herself up with her hands, her gaze firmly settled on the pinkette below her.

Veronica had been in shambles when she saw the two girls holding hands in the hallway again. They each received a big hug, the Latina calling for a celebration. Betty and Jughead didn’t look too happy, but Cheryl couldn’t care less.

She wanted to enjoy her last moments.

“I’m gonna miss the sun,” Toni breathed.

The warmth of it was nonexistent for the redhead, her body numb and aching. Her vision was a bit blurred, her frame a bit gaunt, her skirt didn't fit quite right, her shirt a bit loose, her skin paler and colder than normal.

Cheryl almost hoped her body gave out before Satan could take her.

“Me too,” Cheryl nodded.

“I’m glad we decided to do lunch outside. Veronica is a lot,” Toni chuckled.

“She means well,” Cheryl replied.

“I know. I just want you all to myself.”

“You get jealous, I remember.”

“I remember telling you,” Toni laughed, throwing her legs in the air as she shook her shoes, watching the laces of her boots hang down. “Feels so good to say.”

She looked so good. The clarity of remembering had brought her back to life. She was her old self again, or as close as she could be with a demon messing with her head. Sweet Pea and Fangs had welcomed her back with open arms, not like they shunned her in the first place, they just didn’t know what to do with her erratic behavior. 

She would be fine without Cheryl.

But when to bring it up?

“How about you, babe? Have you been sleeping better now?” Toni asked, glancing up at the redhead. “I figured I was the issue.”

Cheryl rubbed her lips together, shaking her head slowly. “I still haven’t been sleeping, TT.”

“But I’m better now,” Toni murmured, confusion etching on her perfect face.

Cheryl let out a deep groan, looking up towards the blue sky. The sun didn’t break through her numbness despite her inviting it in. “You aren’t the reason.”

“Then what is? Can I help?” Toni asked, leaning up from her lap to face her.

“No one can,” Cheryl murmured. “I can’t be helped.”

“Cheryl, you’re _not_ a bad person. I’ll remind you everyday, forever. You have a soul; I know you think you don’t, but it’s there. If this is about that, know that I don’t care and you shouldn't either. People change, that’s what makes us human… Mistakes.”

“Labelling murder as a mistake seems wrong,” Cheryl chuckled. “Labelling me as human seems wrong as well.”

“You know what I mean,” Toni sighed.

“I appreciate the kind words, but this isn’t about that. It’s much worse,” her voice was a harsh whisper as she tried not to cry. She was so sick of crying, but it was all she seemed to do.

“Whatever it is, we can get through it _together,”_ Toni replied, grabbing the redhead’s face. Her hands warmed her cheeks and Cheryl hummed. “This might sound crazy, but with everything that’s happened, who cares?” She breathed. “I… I love you.”

Cheryl stiffened, “You love me?”

The pinkette nodded her head rapidly. “So much.”

Cheryl cried. She couldn’t help herself. She crashed her head into Toni’s shoulder, the girl hugging her tightly. “I love you too,” she breathed.

Toni held her for a long time, the bell ringing behind them. They didn’t dare move from the field.

God, it was going to hurt so badly.

Cheryl knew why she always picked dare in Truth or Dare. The truth hurt too damn much. Dares were surface level; they were fun, flirty, crazy. She could hide behind them. She wished it was all a game now. She wished her death didn’t loom.

“TT?” Cheryl sniffed.

“Yeah, babe?” Toni asked, gently lifting Cheryl to face her once again. Her thumbs gently wiped away the tears from the redhead’s cheeks.

“I have something to tell you… and it’s horrible. I’m so sorry.”

Toni’s eyes widened with panic. “What is it?”

“You know I’m part demon, but do you know my purpose?”

“Cheryl...”

“Do you?”

“No,” Toni replied.

The redhead took a deep breath, “My brother and I have been locked in a competition for The Throne. To rule Hell.”

“Julian may have mentioned that once or twice… or a lot more,” Toni nodded.

“Satan picked me,” Cheryl sniffed. “He was supposed to decide on our 18th birthday in December, but he decided to collect me early.”

“What?” Toni squeaked, her mouth dropping open. “N-No… He can’t.”

“He can,” Cheryl nodded. “That’s why I’ve been so sick. He’s trying to break me down…”

“So you can rule Hell?” Toni huffed. “Is that what you even want?”

“No,” Cheryl replied. “I don’t think I ever have.”

“Can you say no? Pass it onto your brother? Or someone else?” Toni’s eyes looked so hopeful and Cheryl smiled at her.

“I wish I could, my love.”

They were silent, the slightly shorter girl mulling over the information with a distressed scowl on her face. “Can you at least visit?” She asked, her eyes filled with utter hurt and confusion.

The redhead swallowed roughly. “No… because… I won’t be me anymore.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Toni snapped.

“Jason and I were lied to… He doesn’t want us to take over his position. He wants me as a vessel to hold his being. I won’t exist… He will become _me.”_

“No… No, no, no, no,” Toni muttered, pushing off the redhead and standing up. She paced back and forth, no longer looking at the sickly Cheryl. She screamed across the field, the sound piercing and _broken._ She spun to look at Cheryl, tears in her eyes. “We just got each other back and you’re leaving!” She seethed. “He’s taking you from me! It’s not fucking fair. There has to be something, anything, we can do! Please, we have to fight!”

“There’s nothing we can do,” Cheryl said solemnly. “I’ve been fighting him for as long as I can. Look at me, TT. I’m dying… I’m dying no matter what I do.”

Toni’s eyes traced her frame before she blinked roughly and looked away with a shake of her head. “There has to be a way,” she whimpered. She thought for a moment, suddenly pointing at the sky with a snap of her fingers. “God! What about God?”

Cheryl laughed weakly, “God? He and I are _not_ friends. He doesn’t care about an abomination like me.”

“Well he doesn’t care about me either, if that makes her feel any better,” Toni sighed. “Nothing in my life has ever gone right and when I finally think I’m back on track… I’m losing you.”

“Don’t dictate everything on me. I’m a mere blip in your long life. God loves you. I know he does, only a true angel could capture the heart of a demon,” Cheryl smiled.

Toni looked unamused by her words, “This is serious.”

“I’m dead serious.”

“Not the d-word,” Toni groaned, grabbing her face.

“I’ve made peace with it… I need to know you will too,” Cheryl breathed.

“How can I? What am I supposed to tell everyone when you disappear? Are we supposed to hold a funeral? What if I can’t let go?”

“I’m sure my family will handle everything,” Cheryl replied.

“This fucking sucks,” Toni huffed, plopping back into the grass. She pulled up the blades, her fists full of the plant.

“Indeed. I wish it wasn’t like this. This is the _last_ thing I wanted, but it is my fate… I suppose.”

“I don’t believe in that garbage,” Toni said with a roll of her eyes. “Traditions, destiny, fate. Bullshit. Stuff is always changing, always moving. There’s a million outcomes to every moment, like, how are we supposed to be sure of just one of them? Nope, I don’t buy it.”

“Inquisitive,” Cheryl responded tiredly. Everything hurt so badly.

“Yeah, it’s like the Multi-Verse, I guess.”

“The what?”

“Have you never seen that Spider-Man movie? My God, Cher!” Toni groaned, flopping back into the ground, her legs and arms moving as if she was making a snow angel. “You can’t leave without seeing it… I just... don’t want you to go.”

Cheryl watched her with a heavy heart, “I don’t want to go either.”

They were silent once again, the only thing audible was Cheryl’s rough breaths and the light breeze blowing through some nearby trees.

“Speaking of tradition, The Serpents… Are you going to become Queen?”

“I really don’t want to talk about it right now,” Toni sighed.

“Humor me,” Cheryl replied, slowly moving to lay down next to the pinkette.

Toni side eyed her. “No. I want to go to school. Maybe after… I don’t know. I placed Sweet Pea’s name in the running. Poor bastard doesn’t know,” she chuckled. “But he would take it with pride. I think he would be a great leader. We’re voting on it… We’ll see.”

“That makes me happy to hear. I want the best for you,” Cheryl sniffed, turning her attention to the sky. A white cloud slowly passed overhead; the redhead couldn’t remember the last time she had watched the clouds, too concerned about what was below them, and then what was below that. Maybe she never had?

“If you truly did you wouldn’t be leaving,” Toni said.

“I have no choice, TT. You know this.”

“Fuckin’ Satan.”

“Fucking Satan,” Cheryl agreed.

“Cheryl?” Toni asked. The redhead turned her head to her, watching as thick tears dripped down her face and her plump bottom lip trembled. “I-I love y-you. I a-always w-will.”

“I love you too, Toni.”

Their hands connected. Serpent and Northsider. Warm and Cold. Yin and Yang. Heaven and Hell.

But more importantly, Toni and Cheryl.

_____

Cheryl pulled her blankets over herself, a shaky breath leaving her pale lips.

She would be sleeping tonight, it didn’t matter. She had said her goodbyes. Toni was still upset, but she would grow to be okay. She had written a letter to both her and Jason.

It was time.

Her lips trembled slightly as she closed her eyes, she took a deep breath.

A knock sounded from her door and she sat up. “Who is it?”

“It’s Jason.”

“JJ?” Cheryl muttered, a smile growing over her tired features. “Come in!”

Her door opened and Jason smiled at her. “Hey, Sis. I read your letter.”

Cheryl tucked her hair behind her ears with a tired sigh. “You did?”

He nodded. “Thank you. It was really… heartwarming.”

“I’m going to miss you,” Cheryl replied.

“So you’ve accepted it?” Jason asked.

“I don’t know how I could reject the Devil,” Cheryl chuckled.

“It’s not easy,” Jason swallowed.

“What do you mean?” Cheryl asked.

“I’m sorry. He asked me to collect you.”

“Jason-”

_“Somnum,”_ Jason whispered, his voice gravelly.

Cheryl’s eyes rolled back in her head and she flopped back down onto her mattress.

Her sleep was dreamless. Quiet. Peaceful. Nothing but darkness. It felt fucking _great._

_“Expergisci.”_

She sucked air into her lungs, her eyes opened, struggling to focus on her whereabouts. The ground was frigid, leaving her whole body shaking in the thin fabric of her nightgown. Her fingers twitched as she groaned, her body stretching out.

Her hands glided over the cold stone, feeling the ridges and dips carved in. Her eyes fluttered open and closed, the fire light burning them slightly.

She knew where she was.

The worship chamber.

She lifted herself up slowly, her gaze setting on her brother who stood before her. His eyes were glossy with sadness.

“JJ?” Cheryl questioned. “What-”

“He said he would reward me for being you to him directly. He was tired of your defiance,” Jason replied.

Cheryl stood up shakily, looking down at the pentagram that surrounded her, much like her past dream. She walked forward at her brother, an invisible barrier knocking her back. She hit the ground _hard,_ choking out a cough as the wind got knocked out of her. She laid there for a moment gasping.

“It’s not going to be that easy, Sis. He _wants_ you. This is happening whether you like it or not.”

“I know I can’t stop it,” Cheryl muttered, sitting up. “But I didn’t want it to happen like this. I wanted that _choice,_ I wanted to go _my way_ , Jason. How could you?”

“How could I? How could _you?_ You took what I wanted most in this world and you don’t even want it! Doing this is how I will earn my place beside the Dark One. I’m doing this to be there for _you.”_

“JJ,” Cheryl pleaded. “You won’t be there for _me!_ I told you, he is using me as a vessel. I will be _no more.”_

“That’s not right,” Jason said, shaking his head. “It’s not true.”

“It is! I saw it in my dreams,” Cheryl explained. “Please, Jason. Don’t do it this way. Don’t make me suffer. Let me go in my sleep like I had planned.”

“I’m so sorry, Cheryl,” Jason replied. “I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t want it to be like this. I just… I _want_ this. I always have. I’ve always wanted it more than you. I knew it, you knew it.”

“That doesn’t matter now,” the younger Blossom replied.

“It has always mattered,” Jason said, gritting his teeth. “You do whatever you want despite my warnings. I’ve looked out for you time and time again because I _love_ you. This is the best option for you right now. You have evaded your destiny for too long.”

Cheryl looked at him closely, the pain in his eyes. He truly didn’t want to do it this way. “Fine,” Cheryl replied. “Do it _his_ way.”

Jason licked his lips, removing his hands from the packets on his slacks. He began to roll up the sleeves of his bottom up, sweat forming on his brow. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” she breathed.

He took a deep breath, his lips moving rapidly as he spoke in tongues. Latin to be precise. _“Et offer ea tibi. Sumam eam. Tuum est.”_

He moved around the pentagram continuing his chant. Cheryl waited patiently, the stone beginning to hum around her. She looked at her brother, the tears forming in his eyes.

She was going to miss him.

She was going to miss her parents, despite them only caring about giving them to The Throne.

She was going to miss Archie Andrews and his kind smile. Veronica Lodge and her snark. Even Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones.

The Pussycats.

The Vixens.

Riverdale High.

Riverdale, in general. 

_Toni._

She never quite appreciated what she had.

Cheryl could feel him. The stones under her grew warm as they cracked and crumbled. She covered her eyes from the light coming out from the broken edge.

_“Et offer ea tibi. Sumam eam. Tuum est,”_ Jason chanted over and over.

She could feel his cold hands grabbing her, despite nothing being there. She could feel him burn his way into her flesh.

Cheryl screamed and she didn’t stop screaming. The pain was _unimaginable._ It was like every single piece of her was being ripped apart. A hot flame burned its way through her veins. She could feel her mind start to wither away. Her control over herself dwindled.

The redhead could see her memories flash before her in a nauseating movie that was at warp speed, each one of them beginning to burn away into ash as he clawed his way inside.

She could hear him laughing. Mocking.

Tears blinked from brown eyes as she flopped onto the stone, her body shaking and writhing in pain as she screamed. 

“This isn’t right!” Jason screamed to her right. “This isn’t what we were told! You’re killing her.”

Cheryl laughed, but she didn’t mean to. It wasn’t really her. “Shut up,” she muttered to the second voice within her. She laughed again, throaty, void of actual joy.

Her head slammed back into the stone, her back arching as she screamed again. It was as if molten knives were stabbing into her, pinning her down, making her _bleed._

“This wasn’t the deal!” Jason cried. His voice was strained and broken.

She snapped her head to him, another whimper leaving her mouth as _he_ took over once again. _“This is my price.”_

“You lied,” Jason muttered.

Another laugh passed through cracked lips. _“For I am the father of lies.”_

Cheryl screamed again, more of herself fading away as more and more pain invaded her body and mind. It made _her_ small and insignificant. It pushed her out as if she was never there in the first place. She was losing her grip.

She rolled over onto her stomach, clawing at the stone feverishly. She began to bang her head into the ground, trying to get him out.

**_Stop, Cheryl._ **

_No._

**_You're hurting us._ **

_Just you._

Her motions stilled as another wave of crippling pain washed through her. Her eyes twitched, more tears, along with fresh blood, streamed down her face. Her frail body curled into a ball, shaking.

She wanted it to end.

Cold hands grabbed onto her, soothing her burning skin. Her eyes opened blearily, seeing Jason look down at her, determination filling his eyes. “I got you, Sis.”

_“Do it and I’ll kill you,”_ She snarled, her voice deep and haunting.

Jason ignored the words, pulling Cheryl’s body from the pentagram. She thrashed and kicked, snarling in Jason’s arms, trying to make him drop her. The real Cheryl stayed quiet in her mind, wondering if it would actually work. She wondered if Satan would leave her.

He pulled her to the edge, slowly crossing over. Cheryl felt herself rush forward, her memories slamming back into her much like her breath. The hot chill left her body, pulling itself from her bones. The extraction hurt, but it happened much faster.

Jason pulled her clean across, instantly dropping down next to her. “Cheryl? Sis?” The redhead could hardly focus, utter exhaustion taking over her. Her eyes struggled to stay open. “Stay awake for me. This isn’t over.”

_“You fool!”_ A deep voice boomed. _“I have to have one of you. You are my blood! Do as I say!”_

“You need us,” Jason bit back.

_“I will kill you both. Do you know how many children I have around the world? You’re dispensable. Worthless. Nothing.”_

“Prove it,” Jason said with gritted teeth.

_“Give her to me, Jason. I said I would reward you.”_

“No reward is better than losing her forever.”

A roar of anger sounded through the chamber, shaking the walls as more of the pentagram broke into the fiery pits below. Jason let out a shriek as he began to be drug into the pentagram, taking Cheryl with him. 

“JJ,” Cheryl said weakly, pulling on his arms. She was no match for Satan’s strength, but especially not in her weakened state. If he was taking Jason, he was taking _both_ of them.

_“You are worthless, pathetic children. So overcome with morality. You have failed me, but I will still take what is mine. I need a vessel.”_

“Cheryl, let go,” Jason choked out.

“N-No,” Cheryl breathed.

“There is nothing for me here. Let him take me,” Jason said. “I’ll be okay.”

“JJ, no! I can’t lose you. I can’t,” Cheryl cried.

“You were always better than me,” he smiled. “I love you.” He grabbed her hands on him, prying her grip from him with ease.

“Jason! No, stop! Don’t do this!” Cheryl begged. “Please!”

“This ends here,” Jason replied, disconnecting himself from his sister as he was pulled into the pentagram. 

Cheryl sobbed as her brother was taken into the fiery hole, by invisible forces, only for it to close back up and leave her alone in the dark.

She had lost him. He sacrificed himself. 

Jason had always wanted The Throne, but not like this.

He was gone.

Cheryl screamed, pounding into the floor with her fist as sobs ripped from her dry throat. She collapsed onto the floor, curling into herself.

Jason was _gone._ She would _never_ see him again. 

_____

“Happy 18th Birthday, baby!” Toni giggled, pressing a firm kiss to the redhead’s cheek. She wrapped her arms around Cheryl’s shoulders, leaning down into her girlfriend while she sat.

“Thank you, my love,” Cheryl hummed, looking at the small birthday cupcake. The lit candle flickered in her shining eyes.

The pinkette had insisted that they come down to celebrate right when it hit midnight. Cheryl simply couldn’t tell her no.

So they got dressed, creaking down the steps into the frigid halls of Thornhill, there much colder nowadays, and Cheryl watched as Toni produced a cupcake she had hidden in the fridge, just for this.

“Make a wish,” Toni said, kissing her shoulder.

The redhead sighed, blowing out the candle with a quick breath. “If only it would come true.”

“I know,” Toni solemnly replied. “You both should be here for this.”

Cheryl nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She glanced at the empty chair next to her, one her brother should have been in.

It was as if no one cared about Jason’s disappearance. Her parents were over the moon that Satan had taken him, even more ecstatic that it was early. The cult praised Jason and the Blossom family for producing a rightful heir. Cheryl tried to explain her troubles and the lies, but they brushed her off as jealous.

Riverdale High did not mourn Jason. The rumor was that he went to Canada to help family there. He was seen as a hero there too, and Cheryl, a mere lonely twin who didn’t have his spark. 

It was almost maddening.

She gripped the tanned arms around her, “I love you, TT. Thank you for helping me into a sane 18th year.”

“I hope to help you into many more,” Toni chuckled. 

“I have no issue with that as my destiny.”

Toni scoffed a bit, “Well if that shit is true, then I’m glad you’re mine.”

“Let us get back to bed, I’m freezing,” Cheryl responded. 

“Want me to warm you up?” Toni whispered into her ear. 

“Always a tease, Toni Topaz,” Cheryl hummed, her eyes falling back into the burnt out candle with a heavy heart.

“I meant that we could spoon or something. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Toni laughed.

“Of course, you did.”

“I’m honest to a fault.”

“I know you are, my sweet.”

  
  


They slept, wrapped up in each other. It was peaceful, warm, full of love.

_“Cheryl?”_

Her eyes snapped open, fear taking over her body. 

_“I miss you. Happy Birthday.”_

She felt herself relax, a single tear dripping down her face as she snuggled closer into Toni. “I miss you too, JJ,” she whispered into the air. “Happy Birthday.” 

She didn’t know how he was able to contact her, but none of that mattered now. 

Cheryl was _finally_ free of the darkness that had clung onto her for so long just with those few words.

She had choices, free will, despite the perfectly human ache in her heart.

She had a soul. It was warm and vibrant. Pink like Toni’s hair, red like the blood that pumped through her veins, blue like Jason’s eyes.

She would have a life. A life of her own with the custom made soul just for it.

Cheryl Blossom was _real._

_Normal._

_Human._

Cheryl could finally just be _Cheryl._

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and that it gave you a better sense of finality.
> 
> (HERE’S THE HAPPY ENDING YOU WANTED DEE!!!)


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